Departmental Sick Leave

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with reference to the answer of 18 November 2008,  Official Report, column 260W, on departmental sick leave, what steps are being taken to reduce the number of working days lost.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office has a series of policies and procedures in place which aim to reduce the number of working days lost through illness. These include:
	daily monitoring of sickness absence;
	referral of absent staff to occupational health professionals for independent assessment of their fitness for work;
	meetings of the Welfare Support Service with staff to focus on how to facilitate an early return to work;
	staff returning from long term absence can return sooner by way of phased returns;
	Welfare Support Service are available to meet with staff who are in work to help deal with issues which might otherwise cause them to be absent from work;
	staff are encouraged to attend organised Health Awareness events;
	fitness programmes are offered to NIO staff annually to encourage staff to improve their physical and emotional health;
	variable working patterns are available to staff to enable a work life balance to be achieved;
	mandatory return to work interviews are conducted to ensure that managers understand the reasons for absence and staff understand the consequences of absence;
	cases where staff have repeated or persistent absence are considered individually and inefficiency due to absenteeism can ultimately lead to dismissal.

Reoffenders

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with reference to the answer of 13 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1321W, on reoffenders, what steps he is taking to reduce reoffending rates.

Paul Goggins: Under the Northern Ireland Office's PSA target of Making Communities Safer, the Department is committed to reduce re-offending in Northern Ireland. While much is being done to address re-offending across the criminal justice system, a cross government strategic approach is essential to making significant inroads into level of re-offending. To achieve this joined-up approach:
	An Inter-Ministerial Group is being established—the NIO has secured agreement from OFMDFM to the establishment of a Ministerial Group on Reducing Offending to promote a cross departmental approach and ensure that a coherent, coordinated strategy is adopted to all aspects of offending;
	A women offenders strategy is under development—a specific approach to women offenders is being progressed through a women's strategy. As part of this initiative, a pilot women's centre has been established to develop appropriate assessment tools and programmes focused on sustaining and supporting women offenders in the community;
	Offenders learning and skills deficits are being addressed—the MO, in partnership with the Departments of Education and Employment and Learning, is establishing a Learning and Skills Forum. The forum will focus on making better use of existing education and skills training to provide a more joined up service for existing offenders and young people at risk of offending.

Arts

Anne Moffat: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he plans to take to strengthen creative industries.

Andy Burnham: In February this year the Government published Creative Britain-New Talents for a New Economy, a strategy for the Creative Economy in the UK, which sets out in 26 commitments the Government's determination to move the creative industries from the margins to the mainstream of the UK economy.
	The strategy includes commitments to encourage employers to create 5,000 new apprenticeships in the creative industries by 2013, and the establishment of a new, international event for business and the creative industries—the Creativity & Business International Network (c&binet)—the first of which will take place in 2009.

Departmental Internet

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate his Department has made of the cost of including return path functionality in his Department's core receiver requirements, with particular reference to the cost of including a return path with a provision for broadband capability.

Andy Burnham: Earlier this year DCMS commissioned independent research into set-top-boxes including a return path to support bi-directional interactive services. That report did not include an estimate of costs.
	However, the technical experts on the Department's Emerging Technology Group, which keeps the Core Receiver Requirements under review, did arrive at an initial costing for including return path functionality to provide for broadband capability.
	We will be re-examining both the rationale for and costs of enhancements to set-top-boxes as part of the Digital Britain report.

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when a reply will be sent to the hon. Member for Walsall North's letter of 5 November 2008 to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, transferred to his Department at the end of November regarding a constituent.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 8 December 2008
	A reply was sent to my hon. Friend on 15 December, explaining that we are unable to comment on the findings of the Community Pubs Inquiry Report at this time. However, we hope to be able to reply in full early in the new year.

Television: Licensing

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Castle Point of 11 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1096W, on television: licensing, how many people were convicted for failing to purchase a television licence in each of the last five years; and of these how many were fined the maximum sum prescribed.

Maria Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	Data showing the number of persons found guilty, and those issued with a fine, at all courts for Television Licence evasion in England and Wales, from 2003 to 2007, the latest available, are given in the following tables:
	The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	
		
			  Table A: The number of persons found guilty at all courts of Television Licence evasion, England and Wales, 2003 - 07( 1, 2, 3) 
			   Number 
			 2003 79,856 
			 2004 89,240 
			 2005 104,930 
			 2006 115,470 
			 2007 120,955 
			 (1 )These data are on the principal offence basis.  (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  (3) The TV licensing provisions of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 were replaced by new provisions in section 363 of the Communications Act 2003 which came into effect 1 April 2004. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B: The number of persons, on conviction of Television Licence evasion offences, issued with a fine, at all courts, England and Wales, 2003 - 07( 1, 2) 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Total number fined 78,923 87,735 103,716 113,985 120,114 
			  O f which :  
			 Total number fined the maximum amount (£1,000) 1 2 4 12 2 
			   
			 Average fine amount (£) 114 132 120 129 137 
			 (1 )These data are on the principal offence basis.  (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Farming Links

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost of  (a) production and  (b) distribution of the latest edition of Farming Links was; and how many copies were produced.

Jane Kennedy: The total cost for the November edition of Farming Link was £90,193 and included costs for design, editorial and online (£24,559), print (£30,634) and postage (around £35,000). The print run was 140,000 copies.

Flood Control: Databases

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will allow insurance companies and other interested parties access to the national coastal defence database.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The Environment agency has developed and now operates a National Flood and Coastal Defence Database (NFCDD).
	Insurers are not provided with direct access to extract data from the NFCDD and requests for data are considered on a case by case basis.
	NFCDD information is used to derive the Environment Agency's national flood risk assessment and other products which are made available to insurers.

Floods: Maps

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department has taken map to surface water flooding as recommended by Sir Michael Pitt in his final report.

Huw Irranca-Davies: We have already taken a number of steps in response to Sir Michael Pitt's findings and will be publishing a detailed response together with a prioritised action plan shortly.

International Commission for Conservation of  Atlantic Tuna

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the UK voted for or against the decision made at the recent meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna to set a quota of 22,000 tonnes of bluefin tuna in 2009; and what the Government's position is on a quota for bluefin tuna catch.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The decision to set a total allowable catch (TAC) of 22,000 tonnes for the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic blue fin tuna fishery in 2009 was agreed by consensus at the meeting and therefore not subject to a vote.
	While the UK would have ideally preferred the ICCAT to adopt a smaller TAC for blue fin tuna, the controls that have now been put in place for this fishery, coupled with the plan for contracting parties to demonstrate that they can comply with the plan or have their quotas suspended, mean that the fishery should now be effectively managed in order to prevent the over-fishing that has occurred in previous years.

Marine Management Organisation

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many marine plans are to be drafted for the proposed Marine Management Organisation; and what deadline has been set for such plans to be produced.

Huw Irranca-Davies: We are aiming to put in place a significant number of marine plans over a 20 year period. We have not set out in the Marine and Coastal Access Bill, either the number of plans or the deadline for their production because this is a new system which needs to evolve.
	The figures in the impact assessment published alongside the Bill are based on 10 plans, although the eventual number of plans, and their size will depend on local ecological and regional characteristics and needs in the areas where planning is most needed. We envisage that plans will be created through a phased approach, with the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) prioritising resources to the areas where it is determined that early planning will be of most benefit.
	We aim to start developing the first plans as soon as the MMO is established. We will be examining these issues during the course of the next year and will consult with stakeholders as part of developing our approach.

Departmental Data Protection

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many civil servants in his Department have been  (a) investigated,  (b) suspended and  (c) dismissed for (i) losing and (ii) deliberately disclosing (A) data stored on departmental equipment and (B) confidential information in each year since its inception.

Michael Wills: In the ex-DCA, details of the number of staff investigated for losing and deliberately disclosing data and confidential information are not held centrally in a format that would enable us to answer this part of the question. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Information regarding suspensions and the outcome of disciplinary proceedings is held centrally and these records indicate that no members of staff have been suspended or dismissed since 9 May 2007 for these offences.
	In the National Offender Management Service, details of the number of staff investigated or suspended for losing and deliberately disclosing data and confidential information are not held centrally in a format that would enable us to answer this part of the question. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Information regarding the outcome of disciplinary proceedings is held centrally and these records indicate that no members of staff have been dismissed since 9 May 2007 for these offences.

National Offender Management Service: Per Capita Costs

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much the National Offender Management Service spent per meal on inmates in HM Prisons in the latest year for which figures are available.

David Hanson: For 2007-08, the last full financial year for which figures are available, the average public sector Prison Service daily food cost per prisoner in England and Wales was £2.12.
	No discrete cost data is held centrally for each meal but we estimate that for breakfast, lunch and dinner the approximate breakdown of the daily food cost is 20 per cent., 40 per cent. and 40 per cent. respectively. This calculates as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 Breakfast 0.42 
			 Lunch 0.85 
			 Evening Meal 0.85 
		
	
	This estimate will vary between establishments and actual costs will be dependant on local regimes.

Reoffenders

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the average adult re-offending rate was for male prisoners two years after release in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the average adult re-offending rate was for female prisoners two years after release in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Hanson: Table 1 shows the one year reoffending rates for offenders leaving custody in the first quarter of the years 2000 to 2006, by gender (data for 2001 is unavailable due to problems with archived data for community sentences). The table shows the proportion of offenders that committed at least one further offence and the number of further offences committed per 100 offenders.
	
		
			  Table 1: One year reoffending rates, offenders leaving custody by gender, 2000-2006 
			 Number of offenders  Proportion of offenders offending (one year)  Number of offences per 100 offenders (one year) 
			 Male 2000 Q1 14,543 51.6 244.1 
			  2002 Q1 14,385 55.0 283.8 
			  2003 Q1 13,202 53.9 276.8 
			  2004 Q1 14,359 51.8 249.9 
			  2005 Q1 13,353 49.1 227.0 
			  2006 Q1 13,178 46.6 207.5 
			 Female 2000 Q1 1,184 48.0 262.5 
			  2002 Q1 1,193 55.8 340.9 
			  2003 Q1 1,156 54.1 305.1 
			  2004 Q1 1,402 53.7 285.2 
			  2005 Q1 1,242 49.1 244.8 
			  2006 Q1 1,202 45.0 218.6 
		
	
	Two year reoffending rates by gender are available for the 2000 to 2005 cohorts. For these cohorts, the only figures available are the proportion of offenders who committed a further offence within two years. These figures are shown in Table 2.
	
		
			  Table 2: Two year reoffending rates, offenders leaving custody by gender, 2000-2005 
			 Number of offenders  Proportion of offenders offending (two year) 
			 Male 2000 Q1 15,268 65.4 
			  2002 Q1 14,665 67.7 
			  2003 Q1 14,095 66.1 
			  2004 Q1 14,972 64.7 
			  2005 Q1 13,501 62.4 
			 Female 2000 Q1 1,259 58.2 
			  2002 Q1 1,222 64.6 
			  2003 Q1 1,199 63.4 
			  2004 Q1 1,408 64.3 
			  2005 Q1 1,203 59.4 
		
	
	It should be noted that comparisons between the one and two year rates should be interpreted with caution. This is due to a slight improvement in the method used to count offenders released from custody (or starting court orders under probation supervision) when we moved to measuring reoffending over one year rather than two.
	Further information on the one year rates of reoffending can be found in:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/reoffendingofadults.htm.
	Further information on the two year rates can be found in:
	http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hosb2505.pdf

Reoffenders: Homicide

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many occasions convicted murderers detained in  (a) secure mental health accommodation and  (b) prisons have committed murders after their release in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The annual Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Homicides, Firearm Offences and Intimate Violence" contains data on the number of offenders previously convicted of homicide who have been convicted of a further homicide after release or termination of sentence. The latest published version is for 2006-07. This is available at:
	www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/hosb0308.pdf
	The 2007-08 bulletin will be published in January 2009.
	
		
			   Number of offenders previously convicted of homicide (murder and manslaughter) who have been convicted of a further homicide after release or termination of sentence 
			 2002-03 1 
			 2003-04 1 
			 2004-05 3 
			 2005-06 1 
			 2006-07 1 
		
	
	Of all of the cases listed in the bulletin, one case recorded in 2004-05 involved a convicted murder released from secure mental health accommodation. In three of the cases in the bulletin, the original index offence was manslaughter rather than murder.

Departmental Disabled Staff

Mark Harper: To ask the Prime Minister what conclusions his Office has reached in fulfilment of its duty under section 3.111 of the statutory code of practice of the disability equality duty.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Tom Watson) on 10 December 2008,  Official Report, columns 173-74W.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Francis Maude: To ask the Prime Minister with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for North East Hertfordshire of 13 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1308W, on departmental public expenditure, whether the figure given for the running cost of his Office in 2007-08 includes the cost of  (a) the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit and  (b) the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit; and if he will make a statement.

Gordon Brown: No.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Francis Maude: To ask the Prime Minister with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for North East Hertfordshire of 13 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1308W, on departmental public expenditure, what the figure for 2006-07 was.

Gordon Brown: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 22 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 1098-99W.

Equitable Life

Jo Swinson: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his statement on 3 December 2008,  Official Report, column 38, for what reason the expected date of the Government's response to the Parliamentary Ombudsman's report on Equitable Life is not until January 2009.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House of Commons (Harriet Harman) to the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) during the Business Statement on 11 December 2008,  Official Report, column 677.

World Economy

Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister with reference to the answer of 20 November 2008,  Official Report, column 662W, on the world economy, which ministers and officials accompanied him to Washington for the G20 economic summit on 15 November 2008; and if he will put on his Office's website all papers submitted to the summit.

Gordon Brown: I was accompanied to the G20 in Washington by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and my hon. Friend the Minister for Economic Competitiveness and Small Business (Baroness Vadera).
	The Declaration of the Summit on Financial Markets and the World Economy is available on the White House website:
	http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/11/20081115-1.html
	A copy of this webpage has been place in the Library of the House.

Departmental Air Travel

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend East, of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 298-99W, on departmental air travel, if she will place in the Library the finalised figures for 2007-08.

Sadiq Khan: A copy of Communities and Local Government's 2007-08 air mileage data used to calculate the departmental payment to the Government Carbon Offsetting Fund will be placed in the Library and is as follows:
	
		
			  Category  Distance (km) 
			 Domestic air travel 158,774 
			 Short-haul air travel 478,261 
			 Long-haul air travel 315,288 
			 Total 952,323 
			  Note:  These data do not include travel undertaken by the Department's Executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies or the regional Government offices. 
		
	
	All official travel is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the 'Civil Service Management Code'.

Energy Performance Certificates

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans her Department has to  (a) collect,  (b) monitor and  (c) publish information gathered from energy performance certificates.

Iain Wright: Information used to produce energy performance certificates are collected and lodged on a central register, and monitored by the accreditation schemes responsible for accrediting the energy assessors, who carry out the energy assessments. In accordance with the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007, Regulation 37, the keeper of the register may disclose any document or data to an officer of the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government provided that no particular property is identifiable from the document disclosed.

Supporting People Programme

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the supporting people funding settlement and administration grant is for each London Borough in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the indicative allocations of funding covering 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing on 6 December 2007,  Official Report, column 81WS, and to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing on 4 February 2008,  Official Report, column 47-48WS, confirming Supporting People final grant allocations for 2008-09. Tables showing the Supporting People allocations were placed in the House of Commons Library following these statements, and in these my hon. Friend will find the Supporting People grant allocations given to each local authority for 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11.
	The Supporting People programme funding allocations for 2008-09 and the indicative allocations for 2009-10 for each London borough are as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Allocation 2008-09  Indicative allocation 2009-10 
			 Barking and Dagenham 5.416 5.651 
			 Barnet 7.803 7.803 
			 Bexley 3.194 3.417 
			 Brent 12.807 12.807 
			 Bromley 5.428 5.428 
			 Camden 33.937 32.240 
			 Corporation of London 0.694 0.682 
			 Croydon 8.952 8.952 
			 Ealing 11.125 11.125 
			 Enfield 11.055 11.055 
			 Greenwich 9.954 9.954 
			 Hackney 22.222 22.222 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 12.669 12.035 
			 Haringey 20.682 19.648 
			 Harrow 3.833 3.833 
			 Havering 2.759 2.952 
			 Hillingdon 5.954 5.954 
			 Hounslow 5.913 6.060 
			 Islington 15.935 15.935 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 10.670 10.136 
			 Kingston upon Thames 4.406 4.406 
			 Lambeth 20.792 20.792 
			 Lewisham 17.220 17.220 
			 Merton 3.385 3.385 
			 Newham 11.843 12.458 
			 Redbridge 4.781 5.115 
			 Richmond upon Thames 2.848 2.848 
			 Southwark 18.766 18.766 
			 Sutton 3.667 3.667 
			 Tower Hamlets 15.385 15.385 
			 Waltham Forest 8.435 8.859 
			 Wandsworth 11.177 11.177 
			 Westminster 17.052 17.052 
		
	
	From 2008-09, the Supporting People administrative grant is no longer a separate allocation and is paid to each local authority as part of their area based grant.

Departmental Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with reference to the answer of 4 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 336-7W, on Government departments: information and communications technology, which IP addresses are used by  (a) his Department and  (b) computers in the offices of its (i) Ministers, (ii) communications officials and (iii) special advisers.

Patrick McFadden: To help defend against electronic attack, it is standard good information security practice for corporate IT systems, not to publish internal IP addresses. When accessing internet websites, the IP addresses of all of the computers on the Department internal office IT system are hidden behind the following IP addresses which are publicly available: 164.36.50.240, 164.36.50.240 and 164.36.50.217.

Electronic Equipment: Waste Disposal

Greg Clark: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the effect of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations on the market for compact fluorescent lamps; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: No assessment has been made of the effect of the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) regulations on the market for compact fluorescent lamps.
	During Compliance Period 1 (1 July 2007 to 31 December 2007) 12.818 tonnes of WEEE was collected in category 5 covering lighting equipment, including light bulbs and household luminaries.
	The Department will continue to work with industry, as the UK WEEE system matures, to ensure that the separate collection of all categories of WEEE are maximised.

Regulation: Departmental Co-Ordination

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with reference to the answer of 19 November 2008,  Official Report, column 545W, on regulation: departmental co-ordination, whether the Code of Practice on Guidance applies to  (a) non-departmental public bodies and  (b) arms-length public sector regulators.

Ian Pearson: The Code of Practice on Guidance applies to regulatory guidance issued to business and third sector organisations from Government departments and non-departmental bodies. It only applies to arms-length public sector regulators when they issue regulatory guidance which affects business and the third sector.
	The code also provides a model which may be helpful in other circumstances and can be found at
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file46950.pdf.

Departmental Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with reference to the answer of 6 May 2008,  Official Report, column 778W, on the Departmental internet, if he will list the changes made.

Ivan Lewis: While the Department for International Development logs the addresses of websites visited by its staff using official equipment, it does not log details of updates made to Wikipedia.

Departmental Work Experience

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many individuals have worked in his Department on  (a) paid and  (b) unpaid work experience or internships in each of the last three years; on average how many hours a week were worked by such people in each year; what types of work each was involved in; what proportion were in full-time education; what proportion did not complete their set period of work experience; and how much those who received remuneration were paid on average per week in each year.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for International Development (DFID) has participated in two cross-government internship schemes aimed at helping address the historic under-representation of women, ethnic minority groups and people with a disability in the civil service. These programmes are specifically for undergraduates/graduates from those groups and are focused on developing an increased understanding of civil service career opportunities. As such, the opportunities provided encompass a wide range of roles across the department. In each of the last three years, eight internships were offered under these schemes. Participants on the scheme worked an average of 36 hours a week. In 2006, the average salary received was £319 a week. In 2007, it was £320 a week. In 2008, it has been £337 a week. All 24 participants, with one exception (4 per cent.), completed their internships.
	DFID participates in an annual programme of school work experience for up to 17 14 to 16-year-olds in both London and East Kilbride. The placements are unpaid and last for five working days.

Departmental Information Officers

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department and its agencies have spent on employing press officers in each year since the Department's inception.

Geoff Hoon: Press officer function pay costs have been estimated for the years 2002-03 to 2007-08 for the central Department and executive agencies as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2002- 0 3  2003- 0 4  2004- 0 5  2005- 0 6  2006- 0 7  2007- 0 8 
			 DfT(C) 0.85 0.70 0.70 0.77 0.88 0.84 
			 DSA 0.04 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.06 
			 DVLA 0.14 0.15 0.18 0.19 0.19 0.14 
			 GCDA Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil 
			 HA 0.21 0.22 0.23 0.27 0.30 0.36 
			 MCA 0.08 0.09 0.11 0.15 0.15 0.15 
			 VCA Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil 
			 VOSA 0.02 0.02 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04

Helicopters: Noise

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the debate of 15 January 2007,  Official Report, columns 626-34, on helicopter flights (London), how many helicopter flights have been permitted to depart from the designated route in the London control zone in each year for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Neither the Department for Transport nor the Civil Aviation Authority maintains statistics on the number of helicopter flights that have been permitted to depart from the designated routes in the London control zone.

Railways: Safety

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what future steps he plans to take in response to the Potters Bar derailment.

Paul Clark: I refer the hon. Member to the written statements that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport (Mr. Hoon) made to the House on 23 October 2008,  Official Report, column 19WS, regarding the "Publication of Rail Accident Investigation Branch Investigation" and 19 November 2008,  Official Report, column 24WS, regarding the "Potters Bar and Grayrigg Derailments".

Employment Services: General Practitioners

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many GP surgeries in England have jobcentre employment advisers working in them.

Tony McNulty: There are currently around 20 GP surgeries in England and Wales which have a Jobcentre adviser in them with a similar amount due to have an adviser once the expansion of the pilot is fully in place. In addition, there are 71 GP surgeries in Scotland that have a Jobcentre employment adviser working in them for at least part of the week.

Poverty: Children

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Government  (a) has taken since January 2008 and  (b) plans to take in each of the next 12 months towards its target to end child poverty by 2020; what recent representations he has received about the issue; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: Some 600,000 children have been lifted out of relative poverty since 1998-99. Government measures announced since Budget 2007 will lift around a further 500,000 children from relative poverty.
	Families with children in the poorest fifth of the population are already on average £4,100 a year better off than in 1997 because of the support we have introduced. The measures we have just announced in the pre-Budget report 2008 will increase this to £4,400 by 2009-10.
	We announced in the pre-Budget report that we are bringing forward our commitment to increase the child element of the child tax credit by £25 above indexation from April 2010 to this coming April. We had already planned a £50 increase so from April 2009 the child element will therefore rise by £75 above indexation to £2,235.
	And we are bringing forward our planned increases in child benefit, from £18.80 per week to £20 for the first child and from £12.55 to £13.20 for subsequent children, to this January.
	While we have made substantial progress we are not complacent. Despite the scale of the challenge the Government's commitment to tackling child poverty is stronger than ever.
	Budget 2008 also announced investment of over £125 million over the next three years in child poverty pilots to draw on new ideas to tackle child poverty over the long term.
	We are investing in public services, such as education, healthcare and housing which play a key role in overcoming some of the immediate effects of growing up in poverty and provided poor children with opportunities to enhance their life chances and break cycles of deprivation. Hundreds of thousands of families have been helped by new tax credits, better public services and a renewed welfare state.
	And as announced in the Queen's speech we will introduce legislation that will reinforce the Government's 2020 commitment to eradicate child poverty.

Winter Fuel Payments: Cancer

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will extend eligibility for winter fuel payments to cancer patients aged under 60 year.

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will extend eligibility for the winter fuel allowance to all cancer patients.

Rosie Winterton: Winter fuel payments are made to people aged 60 and over because they are particularly vulnerable to the effects of cold weather during the winter months. The structure of the scheme, which provides for an annual lump sum payment, is not appropriate for the needs of cancer patients whose extra heating needs can arise at any time of year, not just in the winter months.
	Help is already available through the disability benefits and the disability premiums in the income-related benefits in recognition of the extra costs, including heating, which people with cancer may have. These are spread over a 52-week period and can have a substantial annual value, up to around £8,000.
	The Government believe that the existing help currently provided is the best way to help meet individuals' needs and there are no plans to extend winter fuel payments to other vulnerable groups.

Excise Duties: Biofuels

Dari Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the written ministerial statement of 13 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 66-7WS, on the Draft Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations (Amendment) Order 2009, if he will reassess the merits of his plans to remove the fuel duty rebate for biofuels in 2010-11 following the discovery of the drafting error in the 2007 Order.

Angela Eagle: The Department for Transport are currently consulting on the Draft Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations (Amendment) Order 2009, which closes on 17 December 2008. The amendment being consulted upon does not affect the long term future of biofuels in the UK.
	The Government's policy to remove the fuel duty differential from 2010-11, and to encourage the development of the cleanest, most sustainable biofuels through the RTFO, remains unaffected.

10 Downing Street: Manpower

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Fareham of 1 May 2008,  Official Report, column 624W, on departmental manpower, whether the figure of 189 staff on the No. 10 payroll includes the staff in the Downing Street Political Office.

Tom Watson: No. As has been the practice under successive Governments, staffing and associated costs for the Political Office are met from party funds.

GP-led Health Centres

Christine Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the first new GP-led health centre to open; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: I opened the first GP-led health centre on 28 November in Bradford. The second was opened by my hon. Friend the Minister of State (Phil Hope) in Corby on 9 December.
	150 further such centres will provide GP services for any member of the public regardless of where they are registered, from 8 am to 8 pm, 365 days a year, improving access and choice for all.

GP-led Health Centres

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the first GP-led health centre to open.

Ben Bradshaw: The Secretary of State for Health (Alan Johnson) opened the first fully operational GP-led health centre on 28 November in Bradford.
	Nottinghamshire primary care trust plans to open its new GP-led health centre in Sutton-in-Ashfield in April 2009.

Polyclinics

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential effects of polyclinics on existing GP practices.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government have no plans to introduce polyclinics in England. Polyclinics is a term that the NHS in London is using to describe ways of bringing existing GP services together with other services in convenient community-based settings.
	In other parts of the country—including the hon. Member's own constituency—the NHS is establishing GP-led health centres, to provide more choice and convenience for patients in how they access NHS services.

Polyclinics

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce polyclinics in  (a) England and  (b) Croydon.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government have no plans to introduce polyclinics. Polyclinics is a term that the NHS in London is using to describe ways of bringing existing GP services together with other services, in convenient, community-based settings. Every PCT in England is procuring a GP-led health centre.
	Croydon plans to establish its new GP-led health centre in central Croydon as part of its redesign of primary care networks.

Non-geographical Telephone Numbers

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to discontinue the use of 084 telephone numbers in the NHS.

Ben Bradshaw: We am considering discontinuing the use of telephone numbers such as 084 in the NHS, where the cost to the patient of calling those numbers is greater than the cost of a local rate call. We therefore launched a public consultation today on this issue, which is due to run until 31 March 2009, and which will inform the Government's decision on the future use of such numbers in the NHS.

Hospital Car Parks

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what income was generated in the Mid-Essex Hospital Trust area by charging for hospital car parking in the last year for which figures are available.

Phil Hope: Income is reported voluntarily through the annual Estates Related Information Collection (ERIC) for car parking for staff and visitors. In 2007-08, the total income was £939,952. This data is provided by the NHS on a voluntary basis and has not been amended following its collection, nor has it been actively checked by the Department and therefore cannot be confirmed to be accurate or complete.

Diabetes: Children

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking to assist those with childhood diabetes to cope with the condition.

Ann Keen: Our document Making Every Young Person with Diabetes Matter, published in April 2007, drew attention to differences in the management of diabetes in children and young people—which is complex and significantly different from adult care. A copy of the document has already been placed in the Library.
	It stated that all children and young people with diabetes should have access to a Children and Young Person Specialist Diabetes (CYPSD) team with appropriate training and competencies; routine care, continuing care and annual assessment; and access to routine and integrated psychological support.
	A Children and Young People Diabetes Implementation Support Group has been set up to take forward work on the report's recommendations. The group is chaired by the National Clinical Director for Children, Dr Sheila Shribman, and includes representation from Diabetes UK, Royal Colleges, young people with diabetes, parents and representatives from organisations with an interest in this area, including the Healthcare Commission.

Euthanasia

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times his Department has consulted  (a) formally and  (b) informally on end-of-life decision-making since June 2008; which stakeholders have made representations to his Department on such matters during this period; if he will place in the Library a copy of each such representation; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has conducted no consultation on end of life decision making since June 2008 and has had 124 letters and emails from professionals, the public and organisations since June 2008 on end of life issues expressing a wide range of views and opinions.

Exercise: Health Education

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Let's Get Moving resource pack has been provided to all GP surgeries in England.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has developed a resource pack called 'Let's Get Moving: Your complete guide to becoming more active' to support the primary care physical activity care pathway intervention (PACP), which aims to get sedentary people more active. The Let's Get Moving resource has recently undergone intensive user testing with target groups and is being used in a London pilot of the PACP.
	Primary care trusts throughout England will be encouraged to deliver the PACP from spring 2009, at which stage copies of the resource will be made available to participating general practitioner surgeries along with other measures to support the aims of the intervention.

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which  (a) statutory instruments,  (b) departmental circulars and  (c) other documents he plans to issue in the next 12 months consequential on the provisions of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department will be producing three sets of regulations to implement the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 ("the 2008 Act") in the next 12 months. These are:
	regulations relating to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (HFEA) appeals committee;
	regulations setting out the procedure for release of information to researchers from the HFEA register of patient information; and
	regulations setting out the circumstances in which the storage period of embryos and gametes can be extended.
	The HFEA will also be making regulations setting out the procedures to be followed when the HFEA is minded to refuse, revoke or vary a licence.
	In addition, there will be several sets of transitional and commencement orders issued to implement the provisions in the 2008 Act.
	There are no plans to issue any departmental circulars.
	The Department will be consulting on the regulations to implement the 2008 Act, including the HFEA regulations, in the next 12 months. It is planned that the consultation document will be published in January 2009.
	Separately to that, the Department will also be consulting on regulations to update the parental order regulations later in the year, it is planned that a consultation paper will be published to support this in the summer.

Mental Health Services: Prisons

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent estimate is of the number of prisoners suffering from serious mental illness; how many of those prisoners are women; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: No recent assessment has been made. Although there is no officially recognised data on prisoners with severe mental illness, we are aware that there are a number of people in custody suffering from serious mental illness. In 1997, the Office for National Statistics survey indicated that as many as 58 per cent. of male and 75 per cent. of female remand prisoners, and 39 per cent. of male and 62 per cent. of female sentenced prisoners met criteria for a diagnosis of anxiety and/or depression. Rates of psychotic illness were also higher than in the general population.
	Accurate identification of people needing mental health treatment and care is important at all stages in the care and offender pathway. This is why all prisoners are screened at reception for risks of mental ill health and previous psychiatric treatment. The Offender Assessment System (OASys) helps to ensure that any person judged to be at risk and/or of needing mental health treatment and care can be identified and referred, where appropriate, to the Mental Health In-Reach Teams.

Mentally Ill

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent progress has been made in the implementation of the recommendations made in the Social Exclusion Unit's report, Mental Health and Social Exclusion, at  (a) regional and  (b) local level.

Phil Hope: The National Social Inclusion programme (NSIP) was initially established to coordinate the delivery of the Social Exclusion Unit's (SEU) report, "Mental Health and Social Exclusion" and its 27-action points through a cross government national team with far-reaching national and regional partnerships to support its work.
	NSIP has configured its work plan in line with national and regional priorities and previous progress made by them is detailed in their first, second and third annual reports, of 2005, 2006 and 2007 respectively, which are available from NSIP's website:
	http://www.socialinclusion.org.uk/home/index.php.
	However, more recently, my right hon. Friend Alan Johnson launched the training package "Open to All" at the Wallace Collection which has been developed to help museums and galleries to be more inclusive for people with mental health problems through arts participation, access to galleries and museums, and employment and volunteering opportunities in the sector.
	Further progress on the implementation of the recommendations in 2008 includes, the publication of "Connect and Include—an exploratory study of community development and mental health", which includes a brief review of literature relating to relevant policy and practice, a survey and interviews including community development practitioners, people with experience of mental health problems, and staff from mental health services.
	NSIP have also published the review "From segregation to inclusion: Where are we now?" which review identifies the modernisation progress to date and highlights common issues, approaches to address them and examples of good practice and has revised the "Really Useful Book of Learning and Earning". 80,000 copies of which have been distributed to care services, Jobcentre Plus, employment programme learning and training providers.
	The implementation of the SEU report actions continues through the Community Participation work stream—which concentrates on developing the local level impact of the social inclusion agenda. This work stream contains the areas: housing, arts, criminal justice, families and young people, day services and direct payments.

Mentally Ill: Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding his Department has allocated to SHiFT in each year to 2011.

Phil Hope: Shift is expected to receive around £600,000 for the remaining two years of the programme and has so far received the following funding:
	
		
			   Funding (£) 
			 2004-05 1,100,000 
			 2005-06 873,000 
			 2006-07 980,000 
			 2007-08 600,000 
			 2008-09 600,000

Mentally Ill: Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent progress has been made by SHiFT in its work to tackle discrimination in  (a) employment and  (b) the media against people with mental health problems.

Phil Hope: Shift was originally launched in 2004 by National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE) as a five-year programme but has now been extended to run until 2011 to work alongside "Time to Change", a new £18 million charity sector-led anti-stigma and well-being social marketing campaign. Shift's work complements that of "Time to Change" by focusing on two key audiences—employers and the media.
	The work in employment is aimed at improving the recruitment and retention of people with mental health problems. For example, Shift has distributed to public and private sector employers more than 30,000 copies of the Shift Line Managers Resource, giving guidance to managers on handling mental health problems in the workplace.
	An independent expert panel, the Shift review panel, has been set up to review guidance on mental health and employment and help guide employers through the wealth of existing advice. A website signposts employers to the most appropriate resource. The panel, hosted by the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, includes experts from academia, business and the public sector.
	The work with the media is aimed at improving media coverage of mental health and in particular challenging the link made between severe mental illness and violence.
	Guidance on best practice for reporting mental health has been distributed to more than 10,000 journalists. It focuses on covering violence and suicide.
	Training on reporting mental illness and suicide is being delivered to postgraduate students at journalism training colleges and the Shift Speakers Bureau, a bank of people willing to talk about their real life experiences of mental illness, has become an essential resource for journalists and a way of ensuring that people's voices are heard.

Obesity

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many surgical procedures to treat obesity were carried out on the NHS in  (a) England,  (b) each region and  (c) each strategic health authority area in each year since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: Data on finished consultant episodes (FCEs) with a primary diagnosis of obesity as well as a main procedure of bariatric surgery is provided in the following table. Data is available between 1997-98 to 2006-07.
	
		
			  Count of FCEs with a primary diagnosis of obesity* and a main procedure of bariatric surgery** broken down by strategic health authority of residence for 1997-98 to 2006-07 
			  Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			   Strategic health authority  2006-07  2005-06  2004-05  2003-04  2002-03  2001-02  2000-01  1999-2000  1998-99  1997-98 
			  England Total 1,890 998 711 451 334 279 250 193 187 143 
			 
			 Q01 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority — 39 24 12 9 6 7 2 3 6 
			 Q02 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Strategic Health Authority — 28 17 9 6 8 7 2 3 2 
			 Q03 Essex Strategic Health Authority — 11 13 7 5 3 5 4 0 1 
			 Q04 North West London Strategic Health Authority — 68 44 11 13 5 5 3 1 1 
			 Q05 North Central London Strategic Health Authority — 29 15 11 5 2 3 5 0 2 
			 Q06 North East London Strategic Health Authority — 24 9 4 3 1 2 1 1 0 
			 Q07 South East London Strategic Health Authority — 30 23 18 11 13 18 11 4 3 
			 Q08 South West London Strategic Health Authority — 33 20 11 11 5 7 7 2 3 
			 Q09 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Strategic Health Authority — 43 28 19 11 9 8 8 9 7 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley Strategic Health Authority — 17 13 5 5 7 6 3 4 2 
			 Q11 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Strategic Health Authority — 135 60 37 20 19 8 15 12 4 
			 Q12 West Yorkshire Strategic Health Authority — 57 51 62 40 38 56 42 30 30 
			 Q13 Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority — 11 18 17 11 14 9 14 7 7 
			 Q14 Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority — 20 21 15 9 4 9 5 7 6 
			 Q15 Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority — 8 33 32 41 36 24 7 17 8 
			 Q16 Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority — 12 9 6 9 6 7 4 0 0 
			 Q17 Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority — 2 4 3 0 1 0 3 4 2 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway Strategic Health Authority — 12 17 5 5 9 4 3 2 2 
			 Q19 Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority — 33 20 14 11 13 9 6 5 0 
			 Q20 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority — 57 19 12 1 3 0 3 3 4 
			 Q21 South West Peninsula Strategic Health Authority — 33 22 12 12 24 7 12 6 5 
			 Q22 Dorset and Somerset Strategic Health Authority — 31 13 4 3 1 4 2 1 0 
			 Q23 South Yorkshire Strategic Health Authority — 107 88 59 40 23 18 15 17 23 
			 Q24 Trent Strategic Health Authority — 82 41 19 21 14 14 5 7 10 
			 Q25 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Strategic Health Authority — 19 33 11 8 2 4 0 4 3 
			 Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic Health Authority — 23 21 18 11 3 3 3 11 3 
			 Q27 Birmingham and the Black Country Strategic Health Authority — 25 20 12 10 7 3 6 25 7 
			 Q28 West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority — 8 15 6 3 2 3 2 2 2 
			 Q30 North East Strategic Health Authority 106 — — — — — — — — — 
			 Q31 North West Strategic Health Authority 76 — — — — — — — — — 
			 Q32 Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority 435 — — — — — — — — — 
			 Q33 East Midlands Strategic Health Authority 205 — — — — — — — — — 
			 Q34 West Midlands Strategic Health Authority 240 — — — — — — — — — 
			 Q35 East of England Strategic Health Authority 86 — — — — — — — — — 
			 Q36 London Strategic Health Authority 292 — — — — — — — — — 
			 Q37 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority 138 — — — — — — — — — 
			 Q38 South Central Strategic Health Authority 110 — — — — — — — — — 
			 Q39 South West Strategic Health Authority 202 — — — — — — — — — 
			 
			 U England—not otherwise specified 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 
			 
			  Other, foreign and unknown Strategic Health Authorities 12 6 21 29 12 10 8 6 10 7 
			  Notes:  Finished Consultant Episode (FCE) 1. A FCE is defined as a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which the FCE finishes. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year.  *Primary diagnosis 2. The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital. E66—Obesity.  Number of episodes in which the patient had a (named) primary diagnosis 3. These figures represent the number of episodes where the diagnosis was recorded in the primary diagnosis field in a HES record.  **Main procedure 4. The main procedure is the first recorded procedure or intervention in the HES data set and is usually the most resource intensive procedure or intervention performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main procedure when looking at admission details, e.g. time waited, but a more complete count of episodes with a particular procedure is obtained by looking at the main and the secondary procedure.  Data Quality 5. HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. Data is also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  Assessing growth through time 6. HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. During the years that these records have been collected by the NHS there have been ongoing improvements in quality and coverage. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Some of the increase in figures for later years (particularly 2006-07 onwards) may be due to the improvement in the coverage of independent sector activity. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example, a number of procedures may now be undertaken in out-patient settings and may no longer be accounted for in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time.  Ungrossed Data 7. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in the data, i.e. the data are ungrossed.  Primary Care Trust (PCT)/Strategic Health Authority (SHA) data quality 8. PCT and SHA data was added to historic data years in the HES database using 2002-03 boundaries, as a one-off exercise in 2004. The quality of the data on PCT of treatment and SHA of treatment is poor in 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99, with over a third of all finished episodes having missing values in these years. Data quality of PCT of GP practice and SHA of GP practice in 1997-98 and 1998-99 is also poor, with a high proportion missing values where practices changed or ceased to exist. There is less change in completeness of the residence-based fields over time, where the majority of unknown values are due to missing postcodes on birth episodes. Users of time series analysis including these years need to be aware of these issues in their interpretation of the data.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care 
		
	
	The following information needs to be taken into account when interpreting this data.
	In 2006-07 there was a SHA configuration change, where 28 SHAs merged into 10. Data for 2006-07 is based on the new configuration.
	There is a large increase in episodes between 2005-06 and 2006-07. The Information Centre have studied this and believe it to be due to the change/increase in OPCS-4 coding classifications. In previous years procedures may have been coded under an 'unknown' or 'other' code and therefore would not have been included in the count. However, some extra codes have been introduced in OPCS-4.3 these procedures would now be coded under their named field and be included within the count.
	The number of FCEs does not represent the number of patients as a patient may have more than one episode within a year.
	The NHS Information Centre have broken down information by SHA only.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the Answer of 10 November 2008,  Official Report, column 881W, on departmental temporary employment, how many staff were recruited through each company in each year; and for how long on average staff recruited through these companies worked for the Department in each year.

Gillian Merron: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not maintain central records of the value or length of individual contracts for temporary employment between its directorates and individual companies. These figures can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Pitcairn Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to promote conservation schemes and preserve biodiversity in the Pitcairn Islands; and which endangered bird species inhabit the Islands.

Gillian Merron: The Government, through the Overseas Territories Environment Programme, is currently providing between £97,537 between 2007 and 2010 for a Royal Society for the Protection of Birds run feasibility study into the eradication of rats from Henderson Island, a world heritage site. The fund has been used in the past for a number of projects including the production of a Management Plan for Henderson Island.
	According to the 2008 'Red List' produced by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, seven species of birds in the Pitcairn group are considered to be vulnerable or endangered. These are the Henderson crake, Henderson fruit-dove, Henderson lorikeet, Henderson petrel, Henderson reed-warbler, Phoenix petrel and Pitcairn reed-warbler.

Tibet

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy on the status of Tibet is; and for what reasons that policy was recently changed.

Bill Rammell: The Government's policy on the status of Tibet is set out in the written ministerial statement on Tibet of 29 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 30-32WS, that we do not support Tibetan independence. Like every other EU member state, and the United States, we regard Tibet as part of the People's Republic of China. We have consistently made clear that we want to see the human rights of the Tibetan people respected, including through respect for their distinct culture, language and religions. We consider the position the Dalai Lama has stated publicly, that he opposes violence and is seeking meaningful autonomy within the framework of the Chinese constitution, provides a basis for a negotiated settlement.
	We clarified our position in this way because our ability to get our points across on Tibet had sometimes been clouded by the position the UK took at the start of the 20(th) century on the status of Tibet. This had developed from the outdated concept of suzerainty. Our position as set out on 29 October allows us to speak unambiguously on the matter of Tibetan human rights.

Carbon Emissions

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the price per unit of carbon above which energy companies would have sufficient incentive to retrofit power plants with carbon capture and storage technology by  (a) 2010,  (b) 2015 and  (c) 2020.

Mike O'Brien: Modelling undertaken by DECC suggests that, when commercially available, the incentive required to install CCS, either as retrofit or on new power stations, is a carbon price of €40-60/tCO2, although there is significant uncertainty surrounding this range. The commercial availability of CCS is not expected to be achieved before 2020 following successful full-scale demonstration.
	Retrofitting carbon capture and storage in 2010 or 2015 would mean deploying the technology before it has been demonstrated at full-scale, and therefore the cost and performance of the technology will be uncertain. Moreover, energy companies are likely to require a significant risk premium for investing in unproven technology.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate the Government has made of the cost of carbon allowances under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme in (a) 2012 and  (b) 2020.

Mike O'Brien: The Government use the forward market to estimate the cost of carbon allowances up until 2012, under Phase II of the EU Emission Trading System (EU ETS).
	The EU ETS post-2012 is being revised as part of the EU Energy and Climate Package.
	There is no forward market as yet for Phase III. The UK Government do not comment on prices while negotiations on the package are continuing.

National Grid

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on what dates he has met representatives of National Grid to discuss  (a) electricity and  (b) gas transmission and distribution infrastructure since his appointment.

Mike O'Brien: I met with representatives of National Grid on 14 October and 15 December and visited the National Control Centre for electricity on 26 November.

Wind Power: Planning Permission

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many applications have been  (a) received and  (b) granted under (i) section 36 and (ii) section 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 in each of the last 10 years.

Mike O'Brien: The following table provides the data for section 36 power station casework.
	
		
			   Applications  Consents 
			 2000 9 11 
			 2001 4 7 
			 2002 9 8 
			 2003 6 5 
			 2004 5 4 
			 2005 17 4 
			 2006 10 7 
			 2007 12 12 
			 2008 12 12 
		
	
	In the period December 1997 to November 2000 a constraint was imposed on new gas-fired power stations, hence data has been provided from the year in which the policy was lifted.
	The Department's electronic database on section 37 casework is a recent innovation and the volume of such casework is high. Our records, however, show an increase from 350 applications in 2001 to 530 applications in 2005, and a further increase in 2007 to 742 applications. The numbers have been increasing as the network companies seek to improve the resilience of their system. The applications are predominantly for upgrading, minor diversions or rationalisations/re-routing of existing lower voltage lines rather than for completely new high voltage lines. Experience is that the vast majority of these applications would have been consented, with only a few refused or withdrawn.

Crime Prevention: Young People

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which departments are involved in the prevention of youth crime; and what the role of each is in this respect.

Jacqui Smith: The Home Office, Department for Children, Schools and Families, and the Ministry of Justice are all jointly committed to tackling the problem of youth crime, and July's Youth Crime Action Plan demonstrates this tri-lateral approach to the problem.
	It sets out a triple track approach of enforcement and punishment where behaviour is unacceptable, non-negotiable support and challenge where it is most needed, and better and earlier prevention.
	Clearly the three Departments set out above have different responsibilities within the youth crime agenda and lead on different strands of the work, however all are jointly signed up to this approach.
	Generally, the Home Office, with overall responsibility for reducing crime, leads on enforcement and policing strands of work, the Ministry of Justice on the youth justice system, custody and resettlement, and the Department for Children, Schools and Families on early intervention and prevention. However these responsibilities are not absolute and very effective partnership working has been developed to ensure focus on delivery and to reduce any negative effects of possible silo working.
	A very significant contribution to the youth crime agenda is also made by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform which is leading on issues of youth victimisation.

Crime Prevention: Young People

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the  (a) objectives,  (b) results and  (c) costs were of the youth crime prevention programmes sponsored by her Department in the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The Home Office has sponsored the following youth crime prevention programmes in the last five years:
	Youth Inclusion Programmes (YIPs), established in 2000, are tailor-made programmes for eight to 17-year-olds, who are identified as being at high risk of involvement in offending or antisocial behaviour.
	YIPs are also open to other young people in the local area. The programme operates in 110 of the most deprived/high crime estates in England and Wales.
	YIPs aim to reduce youth crime and antisocial behaviour in neighbourhoods where they work. Young people on the YIP are identified through a number of different agencies including youth offending teams (YOTs), police, social services, local education authorities or schools, and other local agencies.
	The programme gives young people somewhere safe to go where they can learn new skills, take part in activities with others and get help with their education and careers guidance. Positive role models—the workers and volunteer mentors—help to change young people's attitudes to education and crime.
	Each project has the following aims:
	to engage with a high proportion of the target group of young people (as identified by the agencies above), especially those members deemed most at risk;
	to address the risks identified by assessment;
	to increase access to mainstream and specialist services, especially in relation to education, training and employment, for the young people involved;
	to prevent young people in the programme from entering the Criminal Justice System, and to reduce offending of young people already in the system;
	to intervene, not just on an individual level, but with communities and families (especially the parents of the core group).
	Each YIP receives an annual grant from the YJB through its YOT and is required to find matched funding from local agencies to add to this. In many areas, programmes also obtain resources from other organisations (such as new deal for communities), which share the aim of supporting communities in relation to crime and antisocial behaviour.
	There are now 120 YIPs across England and Wales, based in some of the most deprived and high-crime areas. YIPs work with eight to 17-year-olds carefully targeted according to their risk of involvement in offending or antisocial behaviour. This targeting is based on many factors, such as exclusion from school, and involves many different agencies working together including youth offending teams (YOTs), police, schools and social services.
	A total of 25,287 young people were engaged by phase two of YIP. This includes 82 per cent. of the 'Core 50'—the 50 young people in each neighbourhood deemed most to be at risk of crime. The purpose of phase two of YIP is to 'reduce youth crime within the neighbourhood'.
	The YJB announced in September that it had exceeded its 5 per cent. target to reduce the number of first-time entrants to the youth justice system; 10.2 per cent. fewer young people have become involved with crime since 2005-06.
	Youth Inclusion and Support Panels (YISPs) aim to prevent antisocial behaviour and offending by eight to 13-year-olds who are considered to be at high risk of offending.
	They have been designed to help the YJB meet its target of putting in place, in each YOT in England and Wales, programmes that will identify and reduce the likelihood of young people committing offences.
	Panels are made up of a number of representatives of different agencies (e.g. police, schools, health and social services). The main emphasis of a panel's work is to ensure that children and their families, at the earliest possible opportunity, can access mainstream public services.
	Following a successful pilot scheme that began in April 2003, the YJB and the Children's Fund now fund 122 YISPs. Of these, 13 pilot areas have received additional support to develop procedures and innovative practice, which will then provide a framework of best practice for all other YISPs.
	The Positive Futures programme is a national sports based social inclusion programme which is funded by the Home Office in partnership with the Football Foundation. The programme aims to have a positive influence on young people's lives through widening their horizons and providing access to new opportunities by using sport, art and leisure activities as a catalyst to encourage project participation and steering young people towards education, training and employment.
	The programme helps the Home Office deliver its ambitions around reducing drug use and drug harms, but also helps us achieve other aims relating to crime, antisocial behaviour and guns, gangs and knives. The programme achieves these outcomes by tackling risk factors such as vulnerability and social exclusion as well as by doing more direct work, for example, by putting young people in touch with drugs workers
	The programme has been in operation since 2001 and the number of projects has grown to over 120 projects. The projects operate in each of the 30 areas worst affected by drug-related crime in the country. They are delivered locally by a range of agencies including local authorities, charities, sports clubs and crime reduction agencies.
	Between 1 October 2006 and 30 September 2007 over 48,000 young people attended projects across the country, and nearly 1.1 million contact hours were invested with young people. 76 per cent. of those engaged in the programme had been in contact for periods in excess of 12 weeks.
	Funding by the Home Office for all three of the above programmes is as follows—£7 million per annum was provided by the Home Office to the YJB for YIPs when the YJB was sponsored by the Home Office. When responsibility for the YJB passed from the Home Office to MOJ during 2007-08—so did the baseline prevention funding. New SR04 funding was made available to YJB from the Home Office from 2005-06 to 2008-09 (£3 million, £15 million, £15 million, £18 million). Additional YIP AND YISP funding (not included here) has been provided by MOJ and DCSF to YJB from 2007-08 onwards.
	The Home Office is also providing £5.9 million of funding for the Positive Futures Programme in 2008-09.

Crimes of Violence

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many violent incidents were recorded by the British Crime Survey in each police force area in 2007-08.

Jacqui Smith: The number of violent incidents per 10,000 adults recorded by the BCS in each police force area is published annually in the Home Office statistical bulletin Crime in England and Wales, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library. Figures for 2007-08 are included in Table 1.
	
		
			  Table 1: Violent crime incidents by police force area—2007-08 BCS 
			  Police force area  All BCS violence per 10,000 adults( 1) 
			 Cleveland 301 
			 Durham 568 
			 Northumbria 723 
			 Cheshire 376 
			 Cumbria 324 
			 Greater Manchester 503 
			 Lancashire 606 
			 Merseyside 582 
			 Humberside 563 
			 North Yorkshire 278 
			 South Yorkshire 683 
			 West Yorkshire 730 
			 Derbyshire 294 
			 Leicestershire 376 
			 Lincolnshire 463 
			 Northamptonshire 868 
			 Nottinghamshire 810 
			 Staffordshire 641 
			 Warwickshire 626 
			 West Mercia 499 
			 West Midlands 451 
			 Bedfordshire 481 
			 Cambridgeshire 445 
			 Essex 245 
			 Hertfordshire 433 
			 Norfolk 479 
			 Suffolk 165 
			 Metropolitan Police 542 
			 Hampshire 492 
			 Kent 398 
			 Surrey 585 
			 Sussex 298 
			 Thames Valley 531 
			 Avon and Somerset 452 
			 Devon and Cornwall 333 
			 Dorset 651 
			 Gloucestershire 403 
			 Wiltshire 221 
			 Dyfed-Powys 470 
			 Gwent 885 
			 North Wales 303 
			 (1) All BCS violence includes wounding, assault with minor injury, assault with no injury and robbery.

Driving Under Influence: Hampshire

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people resident in  (a) Southampton,  (b) Test Valley Borough and  (c) the ceremonial county of Hampshire were breathalysed and recorded as below the drink-driving limit in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The Home Office breath tests collection covers the number of screening breath tests taken and the number positive or refused. The available information covering the Hampshire police force area (which includes the Isle of Wight) are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Screening breath tests conducted and the number positive or refused, Hampshire police force area 2002-06 
			   Number of tests  Number positive /r efused 
			 2002 35,200 4,000 
			 2003 37,500 4,000 
			 2004 38,400 3,800 
			 2005 38,300 4,300 
			 2006 34,800 3,700 
			  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 
		
	
	Information collected centrally is broken down by police force area only therefore data for Southampton and the Test Valley borough are not available. Additionally, the collection does not identify the addresses of persons tested.

Drugs: Crime

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crack house closures there were in  (a) Ashford and  (b) Kent in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 introduced the provision for police to serve a closure notice on any premises that is believed by the police to be used for the production, supply or use of class A drugs, and which is causing serious nuisance or disorder.
	The Home Office collects data on the number of closure orders issued through the voluntary Crime Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) survey of antisocial behaviour tools and powers. Latest available data from this survey covers the period from October 2003 to September 2007 and shows that in the Ashford CDRP area one such order was served (in 2007). There were 11 closure orders served in Kent over this period, in 2004-05 the figure was two, in 2005-06 the figure was six, in 2006-07 the figure was two, and between April and September 2007 one such closure order was served.
	Data for 2007-08 will be published early in 2009.

Human Trafficking

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department's definition is of a person who has been trafficked.

Alan Campbell: The Department considers a victim of human trafficking to be an individual who has been subjected to the crimes set out in sections 57-60 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and section 4 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004.
	However identifying if someone is a victim of human trafficking is a complex issue. It is a largely an unreported crime and there is also a need to protect against fraudulent claims. The UK is currently in the process of developing a formal identification procedure to help identify if there are reasonable grounds to believe that an individual is a victim of human trafficking. This will follow the internationally recognised definitions of human trafficking as set out in the Palermo protocol.

Human Trafficking

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of people-trafficking related  (a) investigations,  (b) resultant trials and  (c) subsequent convictions have arisen through the activity of the Metropolitan Police Human Trafficking Unit in each year since its inception.

Alan Campbell: It is not possible to give a percentage breakdown of trials and investigations which are ongoing throughout the country.
	The data provided by the UK Human Trafficking Centre indicates that of the 92 convictions secured for offences of human trafficking for sexual exploitation, 28 have been as a result of operations by the police in the Metropolitan Police Service area. It is not possible to break down the number solely related to the work of the Met's trafficking unit as operations against this crime often involve officers from the boroughs, the clubs and vice unit as well as from the joint operations involving UKBA staff.
	The number of convictions by year is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004 1 
			 2005 10 
			 2006 10 
			 2007 1 
			 2008 6

Proceeds of Crime

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 14 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1079W, on the proceeds of crime, what initiatives have been funded through allocations to police forces under the asset recovery incentive scheme.

Jacqui Smith: In 2007-08 police forces invested most of their monies from the incentive scheme in further developing their asset recovery and financial investigation capacity, with the funding of financial investigator posts, anti-money laundering teams, and asset recovery operations. In addition some funds were used on local projects to tackle gun and knife crime. The Metropolitan Police Service also made a grant to the Safer London Foundation. Other forces supported a range of community initiatives, including youth projects, road shows, prevention of doorstep crime, over 60s club, and equipment for a faith based community centre.

Violent and Sex Offender Register: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sex offenders were registered in Essex in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The number of registered sex offenders living in Essex in five years is represented in the following table as reported in the annual MAPPA reports for Essex.
	
		
			  Number of registered sex offenders in Essex 
			   Number 
			 2003-04 542 
			 2004-05 680 
			 2005-06 802 
			 2006-07 735 
			 2007-08 735 
		
	
	Figures as recorded in the annual MAPPA reports for Essex.

Children in Care

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families in which schools more than two per cent. of pupils were children in care in the latest period for which figures are available.

Beverley Hughes: The requested information has been placed in the Library.
	The Department's main source of information on children in care is the Children Looked After Survey, but this does not record which schools pupils attend. However, information on whether a pupil is in care is also collected via the School Census. The most recent census data relates to January 2008.
	This census shows that there were 34,390 pupils aged five to 19 attending primary, secondary and special schools classed as being in care as at January 2008. Data published by the Department as SFR 23/2008: Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2008, shows 47,600 children aged between five and 19 as being looked after as at 31 March 2008. However the School Census does not cover all looked after children; information is not collected for pupils in alternative provision, including pupil referral units, FE colleges, voluntary provision and those not in education or training. These differences in coverage will explain the different counts to an extent, but it is possible that the School Census undercounts the number of looked after children in primary, secondary and special schools.

Dartmouth Community College

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will bring forward the timetable for the rebuilding of Dartmouth Community College from 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Following a public consultation on the management of Waves 7 to 15 of BSF in the summer, I announced in September our aim to start all local authorities into BSF as soon as is practicable, with an initial priority project covering four to five schools. All local authorities were invited to submit an Expression of Interest (EoI) on this basis and Devon was active in consulting Partnerships for Schools prior to submitting its EoI. We are now working with Partnerships for Schools to prioritise expressions of interest in line with our published guidance, and I aim to announce the revised national programme early next year.

Departmental Public Consultation

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families on which occasions his Department has convened a citizens' jury or randomly drawn panel of people to aid the Department's policy making since 2000; whether the participants were paid in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department for Children, Schools and Families conducted its only citizen's jury in 2007 and followed this with eleven related deliberative debates to ensure that the views of parents and young people were reflected in the development and implementation of the Children's Plan.
	The Department organised a citizen's jury at Bristol Brunei Academy on 6 September 2007. 38 people participated, including children, young people and teachers from the academy; and parents and local practitioners working with children.
	The Department followed this citizen's jury with three sets of deliberative debates with members of the public and education professionals.
	The first set of deliberative debates was held on Saturday 29 September 2007, with four events running simultaneously in London, Leeds, Portsmouth and Birmingham. These events formed part of the consultative process for the Children's Plan. Around 400 young people, parents, teachers and those working with children and young people were involved.
	The second set was held on 8 March 2008, with four events again running in London, Leeds, Portsmouth and Birmingham. The events focused on policy areas in the Children's Plan. Around 240 people attended, including parents, young people and educational professionals.
	The last set took place on 13 September 2008. The events were held in London, Leeds and Birmingham and were attended by around 300 people including parents, local practitioners and representatives of stakeholder organisations. The themes discussed were Parents as Partners in Learning; the Childcare Strategy and Parental Complaints.
	Participants were not paid to attend the citizen's jury but were paid a small sum to attend the deliberative events to cover out of pocket expenses.
	It is not possible to establish a definitive figure for juries or panels from predecessor Departments.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department has spent on the expenses of  (a) Ministers and  (b) civil servants in each of the last three years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Details of expenses incurred by Ministers' and civil servants in the Department for Children, Schools and Families in the last three financial years are set out as follows:
	
		
			  Ministers and civil servants 
			   £ 
			 2007-08 1,072,411 
			 2006-07(1) 1,155,876 
			 2005-06(1) 1,345,661 
			 (1) Figures for 2006-07 and 2005-06 refer to the former Department for Education and Skills. 
		
	
	Travel and subsistence (reimbursable expenses) is claimed via the Department's integrated financial information system and is recorded under the general heading of 'Subsistence', Ministers' expenses are not brigaded separately on the Department's accounting system and are included in the aforementioned totals.
	The Department for Children, Schools and Families was created on 28 June 2007 as a result of a machinery of government change and the aforementioned expenditure recorded includes that of its predecessor Department, the Department for Education and Skills.
	All expenditure is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in "Government Accounting". All travel undertaken by DCSF civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the "Civil Service Management Code".

Departmental Temporary Employment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the answer of 27 October 2008,  Official Report, column 705W, on departmental temporary employment, how many staff were recruited through each company in each year; and for how long on average staff recruited through these companies worked for the Department in each year.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: In the Department, the number of people that have been employed through the agencies in each year are as follows:
	
		
			   Adecco  Reed  Hays  Total 
			 July 2007 to December 2007 33 22 43 98 
			 January 2008 to October 2008 0 76 87 163 
			 Total 33 98 130 261 
		
	
	Information on the average duration of appointments could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans his Department has to alter the education maintenance allowance system following the introduction of requirements for 16 to 18 year olds to remain in education or training.

Jim Knight: As published in the Delivering 14-19 Reform: Next Steps document
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/1419/documents/7928DCSF Delivering%201419%20Reform%20Summary.pdf
	some young people will always require support to help them overcome any barriers—financial or otherwise—to participation. We must ensure that financial constraints are not a barrier for young people. This will entail providing support to those who need it and we are looking at a variety of methods to ensure that this is done in the most effective way. This will include building on the education maintenance allowance, which from September this year links financial support more closely to attainment and behaviour. We will continue to look at ways of supporting all young people to enable them to participate.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the effect on the economy of the introduction of education maintenance allowance; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Assessing the economic impact of EMA is not simple but our analysis of the education maintenance allowance shows that the expected economic benefits far outweigh the costs. For the first cohort of recipients in the national rollout in 2004-05, evaluation evidence suggests that an extra 18,000 more 16-year-olds participated in full-time education than would have done so without EMA and an extra 16,000 participated at age 17. This is estimated to have generated an additional 10,100 Level 2 and 11,900 Level 3 qualifications being gained by the age of 18. Based on these benefits, our best estimate of the net benefit to the economy from supporting this cohort is around £880 million over the lifetime of these individuals. Given the range of assumptions that are necessary in carrying out such as assessment, our estimate should be seen as indicative.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will consider assessing eligibility for education maintenance allowance on the basis of net rather than gross family income.

Jim Knight: The education maintenance allowance (EMA) has had the biggest impact on participation of any policy initiative in over a decade. From 2003-04 to 2004-05 the national participation rate for 16-year-olds in full-time education increased by 3.7 percentage points exceeding expectations. EMA was one of the key policies aimed at increasing participation and has been a major contributor to this increase. One of the factors that has contributed to the success of EMA has been its simplicity. There are a range of alternatives to using gross income to assess eligibility for EMA, including using net income. All of these have various advantages and disadvantages. We currently believe that out of the available options for assessing eligibility for EMA, the simplicity of using gross income is preferable.

Education: Finance

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families to which organisation it is proposed that  (a) sixth form colleges,  (b) further education colleges and  (c) schools should be able to appeal against a funding decision in regard to education provision for 16 to 18 year olds taken by (i) a local authority and (ii) a sub-regional group under the proposals set out in the Raising Expectations White Paper.

Jim Knight: The new arrangements are designed to more closely follow learner choice and ensure that the outcomes for young people are delivered in a more integrated manner with local authorities acting as the strategic commissioners for children's services for children aged 0 to 19. They will need to work collaboratively with other local authorities, schools and colleges to shape the offer to young people across the country and to deliver these commissioning decisions.
	As now, there will be a dialogue between commissioners and those to be commissioned about what can be delivered for young people, informed by the previous year's performance. These discussions will then inform local and regional commissioning plans that will be scrutinised, at a regional level, by the proposed Young People's Learning Agency to ensure overall coherence and budgetary control.
	DCSF officials are working with local authority, school and college representatives to establish whether any appeals processes are required and, if so, how they would operate. In principle we would expect any appeal to be directed in the first instance to the local authority making the funding decision, though this would have to be balanced with the bureaucracy that any process of appeals might generate.
	We have set out in the Delivering 14-19 Reform: Next Steps document, that local authorities will make the funding decisions in relation to education provision for 16 to 18-year-olds. Sub regional groups will not, therefore, make specific funding decisions in relation to individual providers.

GCSEs

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what percentage of children in the 10 per cent.  (a) most and  (b) least deprived areas received (i) at least five GCSEs at A* to C including English and mathematics in 2008, (ii) level 5 or above at key stage 3 in 2006,  (c) level 4 or above at key stage 2 in 2003 and (iv) level 2 or above at key stage 1 in 1999;
	(2)  what percentage of children on  (a) free school meals and  (b) not on free school meals received (i) at least five GCSEs at A* - C including English and mathematics in 2008, (ii) level 5 or above at key stage 3 in 2006, (iv) level 4 or above at key stage 2 in 2003 and (iv) level 2 or above at key stage 1 in 1999;
	(3)  how many pupils eligible for free school meals who  (a) obtained and  (b) did not obtain level 4 in key stage 2 tests in 2003 did not obtain (i) five GCSEs at A*to C and (ii) five GCSEs at A* to C including English and mathematics;
	(4)  how many and what proportion of pupils registered as gifted and talented did not sit at least one A level examination in 2008.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Some information on attainment by pupil characteristics has been published in the Statistical First Release, "DCSF: National Curriculum Assessment, GCSE and Equivalent Attainment and Post-16 Attainment by Pupil Characteristics, in England 2007/08" on 11 December. Additional information by pupil characteristics will be produced after that date.

GCSEs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many gifted and talented pupils  (a) in care and  (b) not in care whom obtained level 4 or above in Key Stage 2 tests in 2003 did not obtain five GCSEs at A* to C in 2007;
	(2)  how many pupils  (a) in care and  (b) not in care whom (i) obtained and (ii) did not obtain level 4 in Key Stage 2 tests in 2003 did not obtain five GCSEs at A* to C in 2007.

Jim Knight: The OC2 data collection collects information on a range of outcomes for looked after children from local authorities. This information has been published in the Statistical First Release "Outcome Indicators for Children Looked After, Twelve months to 30 September 2007—England" (SFR 08/2008), which is available on the Department's website via the following link:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000785/index.shtml.
	Information on attainment in schools can be found in tables B and C which show the number at each key stage and, of those, the number and percentage achieving the expected level. The OC2 is an aggregate data collection and it is therefore not possible to link the achievements of looked after children at key stage 2 to those at key stage 4.

Geography: GCE A Level

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the answer of 16 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 1502-3W, on schools: assessments, which mainstream schools did not enter any pupils for A level geography.

Jim Knight: The information required is given as follows.
	Only schools that were published in the 2007 School and College Achievement and Attainment Tables have been given.
	
		
			  Maintained mainstream schools that did not enter any pupils into GCE A level Geography in 2006-07 
			Number of 16-18 year olds( 1) 
			 2034130 Plumstead Manor—Negus School 577 
			 2044686 The Skinners' Company's School for Girls 152 
			 2064108 Highbury Grove School 133 
			 2064614 Central Foundation Boys' School 76 
			 2084509 Charles Edward Brooke School 88 
			 2085400 La Retraite Roman Catholic Girls' School 139 
			 2085403 Archbishop Tenison's School 36 
			 2085404 St Martin in the Fields High School for Girls 140 
			 2104680 St Saviour's and St Olave's Church of England School 125 
			 2106905 City of London Academy (Southwark) 51 
			 2106906 The Academy at Peckham 133 
			 2114242 Mulberry School for Girls 356 
			 2114507 Central Foundation Girls' School 231 
			 2114722 Sir John Cass Foundation and Redcoat Church of England Secondary School 335 
			 2124297 Ernest Bevin College 187 
			 2124329 Battersea Technology College 62 
			 2126900 ADT College 184 
			 2134723 St Augustine's C of E High School 107 
			 2136905 Paddington Academy 202 
			 3014024 Eastbury Comprehensive School 217 
			 3024009 The Ravenscroft School—a technology college 92 
			 3024012 Whitefield School 147 
			 3026905 London Academy 311 
			 3034022 Erith School 235 
			 3034603 Trinity School, Belvedere 86 
			 3036905 The Business Academy Bexley 90 
			 3044006 Wembley High Technology College 180 
			 3045401 Copland—a specialist science community college 604 
			 3045404 Convent of Jesus and Mary Language College 131 
			 3045407 Cardinal Hinsley Mathematics and Computing College 44 
			 3045408 John Kelly Boys' Technology College 134 
			 3054002 Cator Park School 209 
			 3066900 BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology 582 
			 3076905 West London Academy 112 
			 3084038 Lea Valley High School 112 
			 3084041 Salisbury School 124 
			 3084043 Highlands School 192 
			 3084702 Bishop Stopford's School 152 
			 3085402 Albany School 190 
			 3094034 Woodside High School, a business and enterprise specialist school 68 
			 3094037 Park View Academy 64 
			 3094703 St Thomas More Catholic School 172 
			 3096905 Greig City Academy 114 
			 3124654 Guru Nanak Sikh Voluntary Aided Secondary School 72 
			 3125406 Rosedale College 159 
			 3125409 Abbotsfield School 78 
			 3125410 Swakeleys School 159 
			 3125412 Barnhill Community High School 151 
			 3126905 Stockley Academy 67 
			 3134021 Hounslow Manor School 100 
			 3134022 Longford Community School 176 
			 3134024 Brentford School for Girls 114 
			 3145403 Coombe Boys' School 93 
			 3174027 Loxford School of Science and Technology 293 
			 3174029 Woodbridge High School 299 
			 3174035 Mayfield School 235 
			 3174605 Ilford Ursuline High School 155 
			 3194011 Glenthorne High School 150 
			 3206905 Walthamstow Academy 2 
			 3304084 Washwood Heath Technology College 113 
			 3304129 Dame Elizabeth Cadbury Technology College 65 
			 3304207 Handsworth Wood Girls' Visual and Performing Arts Specialist College and Sixth Form Centre 51 
			 3304227 Broadway School 143 
			 3305412 George Dixon International School and Sixth Form Centre 185 
			 3314000 Barr's Hill School and Community College 74 
			 3314029 Foxford School and Community Arts College 135 
			 3314030 Lyng Hall School 65 
			 3314038 Sidney Stringer School—specialising in mathematics and computing 145 
			 3325401 Ellowes Hall Sports College 63 
			 3334120 Tividale Community Arts College 74 
			 3335400 Manor Foundation Business and Sports College 74 
			 3354016 Frank F Harrison Engineering College 87 
			 3354017 Alumwell Business and Enterprise College 164 
			 3354100 Darlaston Community Science College 114 
			 3354105 Willenhall School Sports College 195 
			 3354107 Sneyd Community School 105 
			 3355401 St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall 247 
			 3364106 The Northicote School 117 
			 3364115 Deansfield High School 96 
			 3364129 Pendeford Business and Enterprise College 99 
			 3364130 Wednesfield High School 149 
			 3364131 Parkfield High School 108 
			 3364133 Colton Hills Community School 170 
			 3364606 Our Lady and St Chad Catholic Sports College 122 
			 3404609 All Saints Catholic High School 152 
			 3414404 Holly Lodge Girls' College 176 
			 3414419 Shorefields School 53 
			 3414421 The Alsop High School Technology College and Vocational Specialist School 257 
			 3414423 Croxteth Community Comprehensive School 91 
			 3414425 Broadgreen High School—a technology college 164 
			 3414428 New Heys Comprehensive School 129 
			 3414781 Archbishop Blanch Church of England Voluntary Aided High School—a technology and training school 195 
			 3414787 Bellerive FCJ Catholic College 145 
			 3414788 St Benedict's College 114 
			 3416906 North Liverpool Academy 156 
			 3424710 St Aelred's Catholic Technology College 160 
			 3434802 St Michael's Church of England High School 88 
			 3444071 South Wirral High School 144 
			 3524257 Whalley Range 11-18 High School and Business and Enterprise College 297 
			 3554018 Beis Yaakov High School 6 
			 3714020 North Doncaster Technology College 179 
			 3714029 Don Valley School and Performing Arts College 210 
			 3714607 Rossington All Saints Church of England (VA) School—a sports college 145 
			 3716905 Trinity Academy 120 
			 3804001 Buttershaw Business and Enterprise College 160 
			 3804022 Belle Vue Boys' School 98 
			 3804034 Rhodesway School 206 
			 3804036 Tong School 176 
			 3804041 Belle Vue Girls' School 193 
			 3804077 Nab Wood School 133 
			 3804101 Grange Technology College 295 
			 3804613 Feversham College 96 
			 3805404 Laisterdyke Business and Enterprise College 136 
			 3814024 Sowerby Bridge High School 114 
			 3814026 Todmorden High School 95 
			 3814036 The Ridings School 27 
			 3834031 City of Leeds School 44 
			 3834044 Primrose High School 52 
			 3834045 John Smeaton Community High School 99 
			 3834054 Intake High School Arts College 84 
			 3834056 Farnley Park High School 70 
			 3834057 Wortley High School 65 
			 3834058 West Leeds High School 99 
			 3834059 Parklands Girls' High School 90 
			 3834103 Rodillian School 136 
			 3904605 Cardinal Hume Catholic School 93 
			 3914450 Walker Technology College 140 
			 3914480 Benfield School 136 
			 3914500 All Saints College 91 
			 8014032 Brislington Enterprise College 62 
			 8034124 Sir Bernard Lovell School 165 
			 8034149 The Grange School and Sports College 72 
			 8124503 Matthew Humberstone Church of England School 84 
			 8134091 Vale of Ancholme Technology College 55 
			 8134491 Baysgarth School 62 
			 8154203 Ripon College 55 
			 8254001 Highcrest Community School 76 
			 8254072 Cressex Community School 73 
			 8254074 Burnham Upper School 43 
			 8254701 St Bernard's Catholic School 94 
			 8264085 Sir Frank Markham Community School 95 
			 8304001 Mortimer Wilson School 72 
			 8315403 Merrill College 121 
			 8354178 The Grange School 84 
			 8364111 Rossmore Community College 62 
			 8364112 Ashdown Technology College 32 
			 8374189 Oakmead College of Technology 135 
			 8404154 Spennymoor Comprehensive School 103 
			 8404178 King James I Community Arts College 111 
			 8454058 The Grove 66 
			 8454073 Filsham Valley School 41 
			 8464067 Blatchington Mill School and Sixth Form College 163 
			 8564005 New College Leicester 53 
			 8604066 Norton Canes High School 37 
			 8604084 Maryhill High School 73 
			 8604156 Belgrave High School 103 
			 8674030 The Brakenhale School 39 
			 8674058 Sandhurst School 95 
			 8714082 Baylis Court School 72 
			 8714089 Wexham School 137 
			 8715409 The Westgate School 67 
			 8734004 Impington Village College 270 
			 8754129 Woodford Lodge High School 30 
			 8754130 The Verdin High School 48 
			 8754161 Ellesmere Port Specialist School of Performing Arts 90 
			 8754165 Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School 177 
			 8774201 Penketh High School 110 
			 8794189 Tamarside Community College 190 
			 8794190 Stoke Damerel Community College 272 
			 8814735 St Peters College 81 
			 8815406 Beauchamps High School 77 
			 8815407 The Bromfords School 86 
			 8815412 The Rickstones School 76 
			 8815453 The Harwich School—a language college 120 
			 8825414 The Eastwood School (11-18) 81 
			 8825465 St Bernard's High School and Arts College 117 
			 8864059 Swadelands School 85 
			 8864065 Holmesdale Technology College 64 
			 8864091 The Community College Whitstable 105 
			 8864172 Hartsdown Technology College 117 
			 8864196 The Towers School 272 
			 8864207 Castle Community College 52 
			 8864219 Hextable School 91 
			 8864242 The Abbey School 111 
			 8865410 Aylesford School—sports college 89 
			 8865417 Minster College 195 
			 8865419 Angley School—a sports college 134 
			 8865421 The Canterbury High School 198 
			 8865425 The Malling School 13 
			 8865448 Herne Bay High School 196 
			 8865456 Northfleet Technology College 79 
			 8865466 Brockhill Park Performing Arts College 159 
			 8874075 The Hundred of Hoo Comprehensive School 176 
			 8874076 Chapter School 212 
			 8874167 Walderslade Girls' School 76 
			 8875429 Chatham Grammar School for Girls 254 
			 8884408 Fleetwood Sports College 2 
			 8914008 Kirkby College 52 
			 8914106 Wheldon School and Sports College 81 
			 8914462 Sherwood Hall School and Sixth Form College 99 
			 8926905 Djanogly City Academy Nottingham 226 
			 9094104 Netherhall School 95 
			 9095400 Kirkbie Kendal School 175 
			 9095408 North Cumbria Technology College 31 
			 9164039 Vale of Berkeley College 7 
			 9194029 Adeyfield School 101 
			 9194111 Westfield Community Technology College 136 
			 9194116 Marriotts School 68 
			 9194117 The Sele School 61 
			 9194154 Onslow St Audrey's School 54 
			 9195409 Bushey Hall School 122 
			 9195411 Mount Grace School 160 
			 9195427 Hockerill Anglo-European College 162 
			 9254036 The City of Lincoln Community College 112 
			 9254056 Cordeaux School 74 
			 9254609 St Clements College 103 
			 9255414 Joseph Ruston Technology College 11 
			 9255423 The Giles School 136 
			 9264048 Charles Burrell High School 77 
			 9264067 Heartsease High School 43 
			 9284067 Weston Favell School 185 
			 9284103 Unity College 78 
			 9284703 Thomas Becket Catholic School 107 
			 9314074 Peers School 47 
			 9314117 Oxford Community School 193 
			 9314145 St Gregory the Great VA Catholic Secondary School 131 
			 9334274 Holyrood Community School 124 
			 9354038 Orwell High School 107 
			 9354066 The Denes High School 137 
			 9354095 Westbourne Sports College 173 
			 9364028 Christ's College, Guilford 67 
			 9364763 The Bishop Wand Church of England School 102 
			 9365411 St Paul's Catholic College 109 
			 9374103 Nicholas Chamberlaine Technology College 184 
			 9374192 Campion School and Community College 78 
			 9384030 Ifield Community College 184 
			 9384044 Thomas Bennett Community College 173 
			 (1) Age at start of academic year, i.e. 31 August 2006.

Pre-school Education

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps the Government has taken to improve children's pre-school cognitive development in  (a) England,  (b) the North East,  (c) the Tees Valley district and  (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency since 1997.

Beverley Hughes: In 1998 the Government published Desirable Learning Outcomes that included goals for learning (including on early literacy, numeracy and the development of personal and social skills) for children by the time they entered compulsory education. In 2000, the Qualification and Curriculum Authority published Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage, which contains six areas of learning, 69 Early Learning Goals, and stepping stones to achieve them for children aged three to five year. For younger children Birth to three matters was published in 2002. It focuses on child development, and includes four themes: a Strong Child, a Skilful Communicator, a Competent Learner and a Healthy Child.
	In September this year the Government published the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, which brought together the previous early learning frameworks and sets quality standards for learning (including cognitive development) and care for all settings caring for children aged birth to five.
	In the north east the National Strategies has provided support to local authorities and developed a set of materials to help practitioners to support children's social development through "Social and Emotional Aspects of Development" (SEAD) programme.
	The Government have also introduced the "Every Child a Talker (ECAT)" programme—which will give practitioners easier access to training and materials so that they are better equipped to identify and support children's early language needs and development. In addition we have introduced the "Communication, Language and Literacy Development" (CLLD) programme which aims to support practitioners with children's early reading, development of speaking and listening skills and to embed phonic work within a broad and rich language curriculum. The NE region has eight out of 12 local authorities in the first wave of the ECAT programme and 12 are in the CLLD programme.

School Leaving: Qualifications

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of pupils in  (a) Wiltshire,  (b) London and  (c) England reached the end of compulsory schooling without a qualification in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The information requested is shown in the following table. The data are taken from the last five year's "GCSE and Equivalent Results in England" Statistical First Release, the latest of which can be found online at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000815/index.shtml.
	
		
			  Proportion of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 achieving no GCSE or equivalent passes 
			   2004( 1)  2005  2006  2007  2008( 4) 
			 Wiltshire(2) 3.0 2.6 2.6 2.0 1.3 
			 London(2) 4.2 2.7 2.5 2.0 1.9 
			 England(3) 4.2 2.6 2.2 1.1 1.4 
			 (1) 2004 figures include pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year. (2) Figures for Wiltshire and London include pupils in local authority maintained schools only. (3) Figures for England include all schools. (4) Provisional

Schools: Cooperation

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what resources his Department makes available to support school partnerships and collaborations; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department supports a number of school partnerships and collaborations. The following table details the key policies which either promote or leverage collaborative working. It includes the cost of those programmes last year in terms of the financial resources either passed directly to schools or LAs (in part or in full) to support partnership working, or the cost of contracts which provide support to schools or LAs (in part or in full) for partnership working. Likewise, it details the financial resources that the Department expects to make available this year to schools or LAs (in part or in full) to support partnership working, or the expected cost of contracts the Department will make available (in part or in full) to support schools or LAs to work in partnership.
	Our vision of 21st Century Schools is ambitious. No single school working alone will be able to deliver its key components. To improve the lives of children, young people, families and the wider local community, schools will need to work in partnership with children and young people; with parents; with other schools and colleges; with early years providers; and with wider services. Our consultation paper published yesterday considers the 21st century school system and how we can ensure deeper, more consistent and more effective partnership working and collaborations.
	
		
			  Partnership policy  Purpose  Resources available in 2007-08  Resources available in 2008-09 
			 0-7 Partnerships The Children's Plan (paragraph 4.50) announced a new initiative to pilot partnership working between schools, Sure Start Children's Centres, early years and childcare providers and the health service across the 0-7 age range. The aims of the 0-7 Partnerships pilots are to develop and assess different models of partnership and joint working to see how they can improve children's early experiences. These have a huge impact on their later development and achievement and can have an influence on what they do and how they behave throughout their lives. n/a 10 pilots, at least one for every English region, were selected in summer 2008. £2 million has been made available for 2008/9 (out of £10m total funding for the three years 2008-11). 
			  The pilots are designed to:   
			  raise quality;   
			  improve links between settings and services;   
			  improve transition over time (including from pre-school settings into Reception, and from Reception into Year 1);   
			  test out new innovative approaches to partnership working.   
			 
			 Diploma Consortia Diploma consortia are the groups of partners and providers who come together to deliver one or more of the new Diploma lines. A Diploma consortium has responsibility for:  Delivering particular lines of learning including ensuring facilities are fit for purpose and securing employers' involvement; 
			  Ensuring member institutions collaborate effectively to deliver the Diploma;   
			  Providing Information Advice Guidance through peer advice and mentoring, opportunities for "tasters" and other "experiential" learning, building on commitments in the Children's Plan;   
			  Marketing to young people, parents and carers;   
			  Preparing workforce and deploying them effectively; and   
			  Logistical planning of learner numbers, timetabling and transport.   
			 
			 14-19 Partnerships 14-19 Partnerships Delivery of 14-19 education requires a collaborative approach and the involvement of several partners. There is therefore a 14-19 Partnership of some form in every area. The 14-19 Partnership has a strategic role in: £14.5 million distributed to LAs as 14-19 flexible funding, only some of this will be spent on partnership working at the LA's discretion. Flexible funding: £14.5 million. This will be added to the area based grant in 2008/09. Again only part of this will be spent on partnership work and that will be at the LA's discretion. 
			  agreeing the local vision for 14-19 that is consistent with the wider Sustainable Community Strategy, Children and Young People's Plan and Local Area Agreement;   
			  developing and articulating strategies for the full range of 14-19 priorities; and   
			  supporting Diploma consortia so that they are ready to deliver.   
			 
			 Behaviour and Attendance Partnerships In Nov. 2004 the Sec. of State signalled an expectation that all secondary schools (including academies, special schools and PRUs) would be working together in partnerships to improve behaviour and tackle persistent absence by Sept 2007. The partnerships are based on the idea that schools will be able to deal more effectively with challenging pupils if they can share expertise, resources and facilities for that purpose. Schools partnerships are voluntary, typically comprising 6-10 secondary schools, although primary and middle schools can join. Schools and local authorities have been encouraged to work in partnership through a series of Ministerial letters, and supported via several rounds of regional workshops, on-line guidance, and extensive support from the National Strategies. No additional funding available from the Dept. for partnership working. These partnerships to be made mandatory under the Children, Skills and Learning Bill. Safer School Partnerships - a voluntary arrangement between schools, police and other agencies. No DCSF or Home Office programme budget but some limited, pump-priming support available to some LAs in this FY. n/a n/a 
			 Community Cohesion - School Linking The Government investment in the Schools Linking Network will provide:   
			  A new national website - www.schoolslinkingnetwork.org.uk —to allow all schools in England to seek a linking partner on-line, with support from the Schools Linking Network. The website will also hold resources and training materials. £125.7k £731k 
			  Pilot projects in 40 local authorities to facilitate school linking by providing support and training, including guidance, materials and training for local authority personnel, teachers and other staff embarking on a linking project.   
			 
			 Extended Schools A key way of delivering Every Child Matters, an extended school works with local providers, agencies (and in many cases other schools) to provide access to a core offer of extended services: a varied range of activities including study support activities for primary and secondary schools; childcare 8am-6pm, all year round for primary schools; parenting and family support; swift and easy access to specialist services such as speech therapy; community use of facilities including adult and family learning and ICT—these will often be provided beyond the school day but not necessarily by teachers or on the school site. In 2008-09 to 2010-11 a total of £1.3 billion of funding will be made available. This funding is to support the delivery of the extended schools core offer and not just to help schools work in partnership together. £238 million £297.5 million 
			 
			 Independent School/State School Partnership The Independent/State Schools Partnerships Scheme aims to break down barriers between the independent and state school sectors, share expertise and good practice, widen educational opportunities, and raise standards in education. The focus of the scheme is on gifted and talented pupils with the aim of increasing the numbers of children applying for university places from communities where educational aspirations are traditionally low. In particular, priority will be given to proposals that aim to increase the uptake of, and attainment in, Maths, Science and Modern Foreign Languages. £1 million £1.5 million (approx) 
			 Academy Federations The Academy Federation pathfinder, established in 2007, is a pilot project involving 10 federations, in which a low attaining school becomes an Academy and is federated with a strong school, which becomes either an Academy or a Trust school. Funding of up to £300,000 per scheme is available for the strong school to undertake work to support the partner school to become an Academy. The capacity funding is integrated into the funding normally made available for academy projects prior to opening, and is determined on a case by case basis. n/a Up to £300,000 per project. 
			 
			 London Performance Collaborative The London Performance Collaborative is a group of London secondary schools working together to raise pupil's attainment. £415,000 £19,545 
			 
			 London Primary Schools Working in Partnership Small groups of schools working together on a particular theme, such as attainment in mathematics or English. none Up to £450,000 
			 
			 Leading Edge The Leading Edge Partnership programme enables groups of schools to work together to improve pupil outcomes at Key Stages 3 and 4, particularly amongst the lowest attaining schools in the partnership. Leading Edge Schools get additional funding of between £60,000 and £90,000 (depending on pupil numbers) p.a. and there is also funding for managing the Programme. £12.5 million paid to Leading Edge Schools. £925,000 was the cost of managing the Programme (via a contract). £13.4 million expected to be paid to Leading Edge Schools. £925,000 expected cost of managing the Programme (via a contract). 
			 Trust Schools Trust Schools work with partners from the private, voluntary and public sectors. Many Trust Schools share their Trust with other schools, and so it becomes a forum for school-to-school partnership working. The very first Trust Schools were provided with up to £15,000 as pathfinder support. Schools looking to acquire a Trust are currently able to access up to £10,000 support. The total money given directly to schools looking to acquire a Trust was £1.25 million. The Department contracted advice and support for Early Adopters from the TFSP (i.e. a consortium of the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, Youth Sports Trust and FASNA) at a cost of £1,751,098. Successful applications from local authorities to the Standards and Diversity Fund to support collaborations (Federations and Trust) totalled £14.3 million. The contract with the TFSP consortium to provide advice and support to schools looking to acquire trust status is expected to cost £3.286 million in 08-09. The Department expects to make up to £2.47 million available to support Trust School projects this year. Further capital funding is available via the Standards and Diversity Fund from 2008-09 to 2010-11 to support federations and Trust school proposals. 
			 
			 Federations Schools in a federation operate through a single shared governing body, or have joint committees of their governing bodies. The federation model itself can generate financial savings and efficiencies for schools and all schools have the flexibility in their budgets to invest in collaboration. Working together through formal shared governance structures enables schools to raise standards and maintain local provision by sharing resources, staff, expertise, and facilities. The variety of models offered by federation makes it adaptable to suit individual contexts, and local needs and objectives. There is some capital funding available to support federations via the Standards and Diversity Fund (targeted capital funding). Successful applications from local authorities to the Standards and Diversity Fund in 2007-08 to support federations and Trust school capital proposals totalled £14.3 million. £120,000 via the National College for School Leadership to support federation schools working with a shared School Business Manager. Further capital funding is available via the Standards and Diversity Fund from 2008-09 to 2010-11 to support federations and Trust school proposals. The department will hold conferences for rural primary schools to provide an opportunity for schools to find out more about federation and to learn from the experiences of others. 
			The Department will also publish: 
			new simplified guidance to help schools to form a federation; 
			new case studies of federations between schools in rural areas to share best practice and to demonstrate the potential efficiencies and other benefits; 
			reports from research currently being undertaken with clusters of schools to identify the benefits that closer collaborative working and pooling of resources would generate for children and staff. This research will provide clear examples to schools which will support governors and heads as they consider close partnership working. 
			 
			 Education Improvement Partnerships In Education Improvement Partnerships, schools collaborate to deliver services that would usually be delivered by their Local Authority. Where the LA has funding for the delivery of these services they may decide, locally, to devolve this funding to the schools. The Department keeps no record of this. n/a n/a

Science: GCSE

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of pupils in maintained schools were entered for individual science GCSE examinations in  (a) biology,  (b) chemistry and  (c) physics in each year since 1992.

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of  (a) maintained,  (b) specialist science,  (c) grammar and  (d) independent schools offered triple science GCSE courses in physics, chemistry and biology in each year since 1992.

Jim Knight: The Department does not hold information on which subjects are offered by schools. However, the department aims to encourage all schools to make triple science available to all pupils who could benefit. The Learning and Skills Network is providing practical support and guidance to schools on triple science.
	Specifically, by September 2008 all pupils achieving at least level 6+ at key stage 3 will be entitled to study triple science GCSE, for example through collaborative arrangements with other schools, further education colleges and universities; and all specialist science schools will offer triple science at least to all pupils achieving level 6+ at the end of key stage 3.
	Furthermore, we will expect all engineering and technology colleges to offer triple science from September 2009; and all mathematics and computing colleges to offer triple science from September 2010.